FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Fun Trivia
Home: Questions and Answers Forum
Answers to 100,000 Fascinating Questions
Welcome to FunTrivia's Question & Answer forum!

Search All Questions


Please cite any factual claims with citation links or references from authoritative sources. Editors continuously recheck submissions and claims.

Archived Questions

Goto Qn #


When does Cherenkov radiation occur?

Question #151708. Asked by BigTriviaDawg.
Last updated Sep 03 2024.
Originally posted Sep 03 2024 8:25 PM.

avatar
psnz star
Answer has 0 votes
psnz star
5 year member
1007 replies avatar

Answer has 0 votes.
Light slows down when travelling through water. Its speed is only about 75% of normal. So particles emitted from nuclear fuels are able to move faster than light in the watery medium. The charged particles interact with water molecules, releasing photons and creating a shockwave of blue or violet light.
Cherenkov radiation happens when electrically charged particles, such as protons or electrons, travel faster than light in a clear medium like water. When this happens, the water molecules and particles interact to give off light.
link https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/cherenkov-radiation-explained

Soviet physicist Pavel Cherenkov shared the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physics for the 1934 discovery of Cherenkov radiation.
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherenkov_radiation

Response last updated by psnz on Sep 03 2024.
Sep 03 2024, 8:27 PM
free email trivia FREE! Get a new mixed Fun Trivia quiz each day in your email. It's a fun way to start your day!


arrow Your Email Address:

Sign in or Create Free User ID to participate in the discussion

Related FunTrivia Quizzes

play quiz The Physics of Radiation Therapy
( Physics)
play quiz Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation
(Astronomical Phenomena)

Return to FunTrivia
"Ask FunTrivia" strives to offer the best answers possible to trivia questions. We ask our submitters to thoroughly research questions and provide sources where possible. Feel free to post corrections or additions. This is server B184.